Cylinder valve unit



Jan. 18, 1966 P. JOHNSON ETAL 3,229,716

CYLINDER VALVE UNIT Filed Aug. 27' 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet z a r 4 f 1% 6 30 5 30 I 308 /00/ \l I I I IVA I00 3/6 5 5 i 3/ i m & 340 322 0 336 'fl' 338 324 I 300 322 300 3/0 3 9 346 336 326 I 3/4 334 C 304 x 32 304 BY Qscar M Morris United States Patent 3,229,716 CYLINDER VALVE UNIT Philip L. Johnson and Oscar N. Morris, Marshalltown,

Iowa, assignors to Fisher Governor Company, Marshalltown, Iowa, a corporation of Iowa Filed Aug. 27, 1962, Ser. No. 220,128 1 Claim. (Cl. 137588) This invention relates generally to a combination cylinder valve and regulator structure wherein the combined units are readily assembled or detached and more particularly to an improved cylinder valve unit.

This application is a continuation-in-part of applications Serial No. 68,768, filed November 14, 1960, and Serial No. 128,638, filed July 27, 1961, for a Combination Cylinder Valve and Regulator.

In the storage and dispensing or liquefied petroleum gas such as propane, cylinder valves are required for service use of cylinders and small containers. Typical cylinder valves of this type must provide a positive shutoff valve seat and a safety relief valve capable of protecting standard 20 lb. up to 200 lb. capacity cylinders for vapor withdrawal service. It is desirable to supplement such cylinder valve equipment with additional pressure regulator means to insure uniform and safe operation during withdrawal service. Although integral and unitary combination structures providing both cylinder valve and pressure regulator means have been known in the past, it is highly desirable to provide separate cylinder valve means to which supplemental regulator means can be readily assembled or detached as desired and/ or to which a filling adaptor may be readily assembled.

It is the primary object of this invention, therefore, to provide improvements in a cylinder valve unit which is particularly adapted for instantaneous assembly and disassembly from a pressure regulator unit.

It is another object of this invention to provide a cylinder valve unit comprising a unitary valve body having a minor bore and a major bore therein, the intersection of the bores defining a valve seat, a cylindrical housing affixed to the valve body and extending into the major bore, a discharge valve for engaging the valve seat, and a coil spring disposed concentrically about said cylindrical housing for biasing the discharge valve into engagement with the valve seat.

Further objects of the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, and the features of novelty which characterize this invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claim annexed to and forming part of this invention.

FIGURE 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a pressure regulator unit adapted for combination use in accordance with the principles and features of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a cylinder valve unit adapted for combination assembly with the pressure regulator unit of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the separate cylinder valve and pressure regulator units of FIGURES 1 and 2 in operatively assembled relation;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view of a further embodiment of a cylinder valve unit adapted for combination assembly with the pressure regulator unit of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view of the cylinder valve unit taken generally along line 5-5 of FIGURE 4;

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FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view of still another em bodiment of a cylinder valve unit adapted for combination assembly with the pressure regulator unit of FIG- URE 1; and

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of the poppet valve body which comprises part of the safety relief valve assembly.

Referring now more particularly to FIGURES 1 to 3 of the drawing, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIGURE 1 illustrates a pressure regulator unit 10 having a main casing or body 12 and a top casing or cover 14. A resilient diaphragm 16 provides pressure separation of the body 12 and cover 14. A compression spring 18 and plate 20 provide .a predetermined force bias against the diaphragm 16 to oppose fluid pressure within the body 12. A spring and stem assembly 22 provides means whereby the diaphragm 16 is me chanically coupled to a lever arm 24 which is pivotally supported within the body 12 at 26. The lever arm 24 carries a resilient valve disc 28 which sealingly engages a valve seat 30. A passage 32 communicates the valve seat 30 with a conduit 34 having a threaded fitting adapted to be coupled as desired or closed with a plug 36 as shown. A discharge outlet 36 is adapted to communicate with a suitable withdrawal service line, not shown. In this way, outlet flow pressure will be transmitted from the conduit 34 to the outlet 36 and will operate against the diaphragm 16 under the cooperative control of the valve 28.

The body 12 provides an axially-elongated annular collar 38 at its end opposite the cover 14. The hollow probe 40 extends within the collar 38 from the conduit 34. A plurality of locking levers 42 are supported by the body 12 upon horizontal pivots 44 outwardly of the collar 38. Spring means 46 serves to normally bias the levers 42 so that barbs 47 formed at the lever ends adjacent the collar 38 are urged toward the interior of the collar 38 through slots 48 formed therethrough.

Referring now more particularly to FIGURE 2, a cylinder valve unit 50 is illustrated. A generally hollow valve body 52 of axially-elongated form provides an externally threaded collare 54 at its one end for attachment to a cooperatively threaded opening of a liquefied petroleum gas storage cylinder or container, not shown. The other, or outer, end of the valve body 52 is internally threaded to receive a head 56 which provides an internal valve seat 58 and a discharge bore 60. A transverse wall structure 62 extends across the valve body 52 and provides a lateral bore 64 terminating outwardly in a threaded opening having an apertured plug 66, and terminating inwardly in a valve seat 68 having a passage 70. The structure 62 provides port means 72 for axial fluid flow through the body 52. A spider 74 is slidable within the bore 64 and is biased by means of a spring 76 so as to normally urge a valve disc 78 into closed engagement against the valve seat 68. The valve means 6878 serves as a pressure-actuated safety relief valve means, so that excessive fluid pressure within the valve body 52 will serve to unseat the valve disc 78 and permit relief discharge flow through the lateral bore 64 and out the apertured plug 66.

The wall structure 62 provides an outwardly extending collar 80 which receives a spring 82 and the inner stem 84 of a main valve member 86. The valve 86 is normally urged by the spring 82 into sealing engagement with the valve seat 58. The outer stem portion 88 extends into the discharge bore 60. The stems 84 and 88 serve to align and retain the valve member 86 for valving action within the assembly. An O-ring is carried within the discharge bore 60 adjacent its outer end. An annular flange 92 is provided by the head 56 and is formed with an annular, conical locking surface 94. An annular end flange 96 provides mechanical means for receiving and retaining a closure cap 100 of plastic material such as nylon or the like. A retainer line 101 serves to tie the cap 100 to the valve body 52 so that it will not be lost when removed.

Referring now to FIGURE 3 of the drawing, the cap 100 has been removed from the cylinder valve unit 50 and the collar 38 of the pressure regulator unit has been telescoped over the flange 92. The probe 40 slidably extends into the discharge bore 60 in sealing relation therewith by means of the O-ring 90. As the two units are tightly interfitted, the locking levers 42 snap into position with the barbs 47 in locked engagement against the surface 94. The probe 40 provide flow passages 102 and 104. Engagement of the end of the probe 40 with the outer stem 88 of the main valve 86 serves to unseat the valve and provide an open flow passage through the body 52 to the discharge conduit 34. The force of the compression spring 18 will serve during such flow operation to open the valve parts 28-30 and permit a flow of liquefied petroleum gas into the regulator unit 10 and out the outlet 36.

The cylinder valve unit shown in FIGURE 4 is adapted for combination assembly with the pressure regulator unit of FIGURE 1. The cylinder valve unit comprises a unitary cylinder valve body 300 having a major bore 304 therein adapted to communicate with a gas storage cylinder or container and a discharge bore or minor bore 302 therein in communication with the major bore 304. Provided in the discharge bore 302 adjacent an end thereof is a recess 306 within which there is disposed an O-ring 308. The O-ring is adapted to cooperate with the probe of the regulator unit and prevent the undesirable discharge of gas between the probe and the cylinder valve body 300.

The cylinder valve body 300 is provided with threads 326 at one end, which threads are adapted to engage with mating threads in a container or cylinder opening with which the cylinder valve unit cooperates. Provided adjacent the opposite end of the cylinder valve body 300 is an annular flange 328 which cooperates with the locking means on the regulator unit to permit ready attachment of the regulator unit to the cylinder valve unit.

Provided in a side Wall of the cylinder valve body 300 is an internally-threaded bore or opening 310. The cylinder housing 312 having external threads thereon is adapted to be engaged within the threaded bore 310.

circumferentially mounted on the cylindrical housing 312 is a coil spring 314. The free end of coil spring 314 urges the discharge valve 316 to the closed position against the valve seat defined by the intersection of the major bore 304 and the minor bore 302 within the cylinder valve body 300. The discharge valve 316 preferably comprises a support or disc retainer member 315 upon which is supported a rubber disc 317.

Within the cylindrical housing 312 there are supported the components of the safety relief valve assembly. Adjacent the interior end of the cylindrical housing 312 there is an opening 320 which is in communication with the major bore 304. Biased into closed engagement with the opening 320 is a safety valve disc 318. The disc 318, which is preferably made from a resilient material, is adapted to be secured to a safety valve disc support 319. The spring 322 acts between the safety valve disc support 319 and the plug member or spring retainer 324 which is aflixed in the outer end of the cylindrical housing 312. It will be understood that a vent opening is provided in the plug or between the plug and the cylindrical housing 312 to permit communication of the interior of the cylindrical housing 312 with the atmosphere.

In FIGURE 5, there is illustrated a cross-sectional view of the cylinder valve unit of FIGURE 4 taken generally along the line 55 of FIGURE 4. It is apparent that the cylindrical housing 312 extends into the major bore 304 and that a substantially unrestricted flow passage is provided on all sides of the cylindrical housing.

FIGURE 6 illustrates still another embodiment of a cylinder valve unit. The unit illustrated in FIGURE 6 is essentially like that of FIGURE 4 except for the constructional details of the cylindrical housing containing the safety relief valve assembly. Accordingly, like cle ments are designated by like numerals.

The cylindrical housing 332 is provided with a flange 334 which conveniently limits the entrance of the cylin' drical housing 332 into the major bore 304 of cylinder valve body 300. Closing the outer end of the cylindrical housing 332 is a plug or spring retainer 346 having threads on the exterior thereof which cooperate with internal threads in the cylindrical housing 332. Extending through the spring retainer 346 is an opening 347 which is adapted to communicate the major bore 304 with the atmosphere via the opening 336 in the cylindrical housing 332.

Within the cylindrical housing, there is provided a safety relief valve assembly including an annular poppet body 342 in which is seated the safety valve disc 338 and the safety disc retainer 340. In assembly of the safety relief valve mechanism, the safety valve disc 338 is inserted into the poppet body 342 until it engages the flange 336. Then the safety disc retainer 340 is inserted into the poppet body 342 abutting the valve disc 338. A predetermined pressure is applied to the safety disc retainer 340 and the disc retainer is then staked in place.

As seen more readily in FIGURE 7, circumferentially provided on the poppet body 342 are a plurality of ridges or bearing surfaces 343 which engage the interior surface of the bore extending through the cylindrical housing 332. During shipment and periods of non-use, a suitable cap may be affixed to the top of the cylinder valve body 300 to prevent the entry of dirt into the cylinder valve body.

The manufacturing economies inherent in the designs of FIGURES 5 to 7 are believed obvious to those persons skilled in the art.

While there has been shown and described illustrative embodiments of this invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention, and therefore, it is intended in the appended claim to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

A cylinder valve unit adapted for use with a separable pressure regulator unit, said cylinder valve unit comprising a cylinder valve body having means at one end thereof for connecting the cylinder valve body to a cylinder containing pressurized fluid and having means at the other end for connecting said body to a separable pressure regulator unit, said body having a minor bore therein adapted to communicate with a pressure regulator unit and a major bore adapted to communicate with a cylinder, the intersection of said bores defining a valve seat, a threaded opening in the side wall of said cylinder valve body, a cylindrical housing having threads thereon cooperating with said threaded opening and being supported therein, said cylindrical housing extending into said major bore, a discharge valve for engaging said valve seat, a coil spring disposed concentrically about said cylindrical housing biasing said discharge valve into engagement with said valve seat, said cylindrical housing having an inlet opening at the interior end thereof communicating with said major bore, and safety relief valve means within said cylindrical housing normally closing said inlet opening, said 5 6 safety relief valve means comprising a valve disc and 2,854,991 10/1958 Webster 137322 means biasing the valve disc toward said inlet opening. 3,004,686 10/ 1961 McKee 137-505 .25 X 3,043,332 7/1962 Henriques 137-50512 X References Cited by the Examiner 3,043,334 7/ 1962 Henriques 137-588 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 FOREIGN PATENTS 70,600 1959 France. 1,812,678 6/ 1931 Bernert 285-320 2,831,756 4/1958 Miles 137505.42 X ISADOR WEIL, Primary Examiner. 

